Happy Go Lucky
by EmmyLovett
Summary: How would you feel if as a teenager your older sister stole all the glory?Not good  right? Then after you've broken free and forgotten about any such family existing for two years, she turns up again  on the cover of a magazine. Full Summary inside.
1. Crash Landing in Reality

_**Summery:-**_ How would you feel if as a teenager your older sister stole all the glory?

Not good - right?

Then after you've broken free and forgotten about any such family existing for two years, she turns up again - on the cover of a magazine, and to rub salt in the wound, the guy you've been after for the past two years spends his spare time marveling over her 'fantastic body'.

How far would you go to prove to the people around you that you can be as beautiful as your sister and what kind of unlikely friendships may you make on the way?

Please read and review - any reviews apprieciated even if you hate it!

Thanks for your continued support guys - Emzii xXx

**WARNING! Contains a lot of swearing hence the high rating. If you are easily offended I would advise you NOT TO read further. **

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For the purpose of this fiction, Matt and Emma never met, let alone married and the night Emma and Will spent together before her wedding also never happened. Any other notes will be put above new chapters.

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_**Happy Go Lucky **_

_**Chapter 1:- **__**Crash Landing in Reality**_

"Oi! Sal!" Lewis shouted across the canteen as she walked in with Beth. "You ever heard Emma talk about any sisters?" He asked once she had made her way across the room, dodging tables in her path.

"Yeah… once. She doesn't often talk about her family, I take it you know her dad is the Detective Chief Inspector of the DPS…" Lewis nodded. "I don't know much about her mum… only that she pushed her only sister – Aimee – into a modelling career."

"Do you know anything about this Aimee?"

"Emma's always very bitter when she talks about her… I think Aimee pushed Emma to the side when she was growing up because of the modelling – I know Emma's mother paid very little attention to Emma because she was more academic than her sister, yano more brains less beauty as Emz put it. Aimee's two years older than Emma as well so I think Emma often feels like she was some what of a mistake… or regret or something." Sally explained. "Aimee got a private school education and Emma was forced to take her 11+ by her father so she was just your average Grammar School girl – the Private School education was never offered to Emma even though she was the cleverer of the two. Anyway why do you wanna know?" Lewis pushed forward a lads magazine that was opened on a page bearing a tall, blonde haired woman in a pink bikini, posing on a while sandy beach.

"I saw the same… Aimee Keane and I just wondered, her green eyes are like exactly the same as Emma's."

"Yeah… I see what you mean. They look really similar actually – Aimee's face is slimmer." Sally stated, examining the picture further. "Her hair as well… it's loads longer and it's lighter than Emma's too." Lewis nodded in agreement.

"She's hot… maybe I could beg Emma for her number." Lewis said hopefully. Sally shot Lewis a warning stare.

"You dare… Emma's already insecure enough about Aimee being – as blokes so nicely put it 'hotter' than her." Sally warned. Lewis' shoulders slouched. "Honestly Lewis, if I hear that you have asked Emma for Aimee's number I will think of something to finish you off here. And I mean it." Lewis looked worried, never having known Sally to be so threatening about anything before.

"What's it to you?"

"I know what happens to girls who feel under pressure because they don't think they look good enough. They starve themselves Lewis. Eat nothing for weeks on end… months even; until they think they look acceptable. By this time… their bodies are close to shut down and unless they get help, _proper mental help_, they could die." Sally said heatedly. "Just to look 'good'." Lewis nodded and closed the page of the magazine, somewhat ashamed of his selfishness. "I mean look at Aimee Keane – ok, so what – her figure is amazing – she's gorgeous but take Emma. She's clever, sensitive, pretty and a great person. How do you know you'll even like Aimee, she could be a total, self obsessed bitch." Lewis nodded again as he watched Sally walk off to where Beth and now Emma where sat. She shot a last look at Lewis, which quite plainly told him to 'Back off'.

"Everything ok?" Beth asked, watching the tension between Lewis and Sally.

"Just Lewis being an insensitive jerk. I mean he's a guy – so no changes to the norm but _hello_?! Do they think that just because we're girls we don't have feelings or something?!" Sally sighed. Emma and Beth giggled.

"Shit…" Emma breathed under her breath, looking hard at Lewis' magazine that he had opened again. Both Sally and Beth looked at Emma quizzically. "Aimee… she's on the front cover of some lads mag…" She felt tears coming to her eyes and the anger in her body rising.

"Who's Aimee?" Beth asked as Sally reached over the table and squeezed Emma's now shaking hands.

"I've done so fucking well. For the last two years, I've forgotten she exists. Pretended I am an only child with no mother and no fucking perfect sister." Emma sobbed. "Then she comes back from wherever she's been hiding her perfect little life and my fucking colleagues end up drooling over her bloody body in some trashy magazine."

"Who is she?" Beth persisted.

"Her sister…" Sally whispered as she rushed around to Emma and pulled her into a hug. "She's got nothing to be jealous of Em… look at you, your pretty, clever – you have loads of friends and your amazing at your job." She reasoned as Emma shook in her arms.

"But she's a model… and a good one at that. She's not just pretty she's bloody gorgeous, she has guys queuing up at her fucking door and she has her mother's bloody support too. I can't even get the guy I want and as for mothers support? I barely scrape a phone call from my father every few months." Emma shouted, pushing Sally away and gaining the eyes and ears of everyone in the canteen. Beth stood up and pulled Emma out of the canteen by her hand and into a spare interview room.

"What the hell are you playin' at? Emz you're a cop that everyone loves and watches out for… you don't need to prostitute your body in some trashy lads porn magazine just to get by!" Beth said harshly. Emma started sobbing harder and Beth looked around worried, mentally kicking herself for making the situation worse.

"It's not that." Emma whispered hoarsely once she had composed herself. "She has everything. A house in the L.A hills, a house in London, a family who love her, a boyfriend who cherishes her, a job that pays more than just enough to get by. And that's not all – she got a private school education. And not just any private school – the best money can buy in all of England, but does she need some posh school with 'special' GCSE grades to be a model? I don't think so! I had to settle for some cheap 'n' tatty Grammar School – I didn't even get a chance to go to Uni with my four 'A' grades at A Level. My parents could barely look at me – let alone even congratulate me whereas Aimee got two 'C-'s' seven 'C's' two 'B-'s' in her GCSE's and my parents treat her like a princess. Like fucking royalty so she flounces off to some posh studio to get her portfolio done and then dad pays out God's earth to send her to California to show an agent that she can smile, pout and pose for England. She didn't need to get a portfolio done for that and she certainly didn't need to go off to America – but no – only the best for daddy's little angel. Urgh! She makes me sick." Emma said hitting the wall with her fist. "It's just want, want, want; me, me, me! And yano what I can't stand it anymore – I've had to put up with her for twenty-four years and finally she's got the better of me! The cheap little spoilt tart – at least some of us can be proud of what we do to earn money. Not just take our clothes off and smile for the camera!"

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**_So there you go - the first chapter is up. What to do you think? Please be nice and review; critisism welcomed - Emzii xXx_**


	2. Personal Matter

"Don't you think she's changed since she saw Aimee on that magazine cover." Sally said as she and Beth got changed from their uniform. "She won't let anyone near her." Beth sighed deeply and nodded.

"Yeah I do. It's like she feels inadequate or something. Even some of the guys have noticed something's up."

"I'm not surprised. Will tried to ask her if she wanted to come out for a drink with us tonight but she just totally blanked him. She mumbled something… even Will didn't catch it but I'm guessing it was something about her feeling Aimee is superior." Sally replied. "We really need to think of something to do – at this rate, I hate to think what Emz will be like in a weeks time." Beth shuddered as different scenarios rushed through her mind.

Both girls jumped as they heard the heavy door behind them slam shut. Sally turned on her heel to see who had entered and saw a flicker of golden hair turn into a section of the lockers furthest away from them. 'It's Emma.' She mouthed to Beth who nodded and quietly started walking towards the back of the locker room.

"You sure you aren't coming out for a drink with us tonight?" Beth asked as she stood in front of the mirror checking her hair and make up. Emma looked behind after she had opened her locker.

"So all the guys can compare me with my delightful sister." She ridiculed. "Yes I'm sure I'm not coming."

"But they won't be… only Lewis knows about that magazine, and he wouldn't, in a million years compare you to anyone else 'coz you're a fantastic person already." Beth reasoned, walking over to the bench next to Emma and sitting down. "Please come… even just for Sally and I."

"I'm _not _coming. Okay? I've got better things to be doing." Emma spat as she tore off her work shirt, quickly replacing it with a baggy green vest top. Beth sighed and stood up.

"Have it your way Emz. When you realise that your friends aren't going to compare you to your sister, gimme a call and maybe we can organise a night out."

"_Beth_!" Sally hissed from in front of the mirror as she carefully applied some eye shadow.

"What… she's got to learn." Beth replied stubbornly, walking back towards her and Sally's locker. "I'll meet you in Reception." Sally and Emma heard the heel of Beth's boots clicking all the way down the corridor outside the changing rooms, and until it died away neither spoke.

"You know she isn't annoyed with you." Sally pointed out. "She just wants you to come out with us and stop worrying." Emma spluttered.

"Like I said, no matter how many people ask me, I'm _**not **_going. So if I was you, I'd leave me to it and go and have a good time with the relief." Emma replied. Sally turned around and put on her best puppy dog impression – Emma couldn't help but grin slightly.

"Pleeeeassse?"

"Get lost Sal. I'm really not in the mood okay?" Sally shook her head and rolled her eyes before doing as Beth had just minutes before.

"I guess I'll see you on Monday – unless of course you're not in the mood for work that is." Sally said bitterly before leaving the locker rooms.

"I tried…" Sally said apologetically to the growing group of officers who had congregated in Reception waiting for the last of the group before they made their way to the pub.

"D'you want me t' have a go?" Will asked. Sally and Beth shook their heads. "I don't even get why she's in a mood with me."

"She's just having a bitty trouble at home that's all." Beth said. "Even with the best will in the world you couldn't get her to budge." Beth saw everyone's faces fall, they, like her had obviously that that because Sally had been a little while there was a chance of her coming.

"Come on guys… waiting around here ain't gonna get her to come." Will sighed, everyone silently agreed and began to shuffle out of Reception. "Is there nothing I can do Sal?" Will asked as he caught up with Sally and Beth.

"I don't think so… there's nothing any of us can do right now but give her support and all that…" Will nodded, not liking feeling so helpless about something that he wanted, above everything else to get better and back to normal.

_**One month later.**_

"Gina… can I have a word please? It's about Emma Keane." Superintendent John Heaton said as he saw her turn the corner into CID. Gina sighed and turned around.

"What's she done now?"

"Well nothing… that I know of. It's more of a personal matter actually, you see, PC's Armstrong and Green came to me yesterday evening and they are worried about her. I think we should go to my office to discuss this." John said, opening the door into his office. Gina rolled her eyes.

"Just because she can't look after herself, you have to call a flipping seminar. I know her dad is a very influential character in the station, but she shouldn't be treated differently!"

"Sit down." John said shortly as if he hadn't heard a word of Gina's protests, Gina did as she was asked. "Sally and Beth told me that her sister is a model…"

"I didn't realise she had any siblings…"

"No, neither did I, but apparently she has spent the last few years pretending Aimee doesn't exist, and now Aimee turns up on the front of a magazine." John explained. "A magazine Lewis was reading – Sally said that Emma has totally cut herself off from the rest of the relief, she doesn't go out with them anymore and she barely talks to anyone whilst she's at work. You probably know Beth and Emma have been paired together a fair few times in the last month and she's realised Emma's not eating very much either. Both woman are very concerned over Emma's well being, and as much as I hate to admit it, I think we may have a problem on our hands." Gina nodded.

"You could be right… but with respect sir, it's none of our business." Gina replied.

"It's our business when it's affecting Emma's work, which, from what Sally and Beth said to me last night, I'd say it is." Gina looked at her feet and nodded. "Seeing as you have so much to say on the matter what do you think we should do?"

"I really don't know. When I was growing up, you were who your personality said and appearance very rarely meant anything, but the younger generation of girls we have working at the station are always under so much pressure to look their best. I guess Emma is feeling the pressure a little more because of Aimee Keane being what sounds like a relatively successful model." Gina stated, not being able to help feeling slightly sorry for the young officer. John nodded.

"Times change Gina and with it, we have to be able to cope with what is thrown at us. I for one have never had to deal with this kind of matter before and I just don't know how we should be dealing with it. If Emma realises that we are worried about her then she will probably clam up even more which could be very dangerous." John said thinking aloud.

"Blimey – John Heaton not knowing what to do in a crisis!" Gina mused. "Whenever did looks start coming into things hey? I mean Emma is such a talented little thing; she has so many friends as well, based on that it should be immaterial how she looks. She may not be the slimmest girl on the earth… but she doesn't need to be – she looks great how she is – and – from what I've heard a couple of our boys in blue have eyes for her."

"What a world we live in. I'm going to call Emma and Beth in. If Emma isn't eating properly then we can't have her out on the streets. Not only is she endangering herself but Beth and the public as well." John sighed picking up his radio. Gina nodded. "I'm sure you've got a lot to be getting on with – that pile of folders you were hauling about earlier didn't half look heavy."

"See you later. I'll try and a get a word in with Sally and Beth so they know that I am aware of the situation, then hopefully between the four of us we can sort something out." Said Gina, as she stood up. John nodded pressing down the red button on the side of his radio.

"Superintendent Heaton to 258 please return to the station A.S.A.P."

"258 to Superintendent Heaton, we're on our way." Beth's young, voice crackled through the radio. "I wonder what that's about?" She asked Emma, although she may as well have asked herself because she knew Emma wouldn't answer or even acknowledge her speaking. Both girls started walking back to the station, Beth not once breaking the silence that seemed to hang over Emma whilst she was at work.


	3. Jumping to Conclusions

"Thank you for coming in so quickly." Gina said politely. Beth smiled timidly, she had never been called to her superiors office on her own before and she couldn't help wondering what she had supposedly done wrong. "Take a seat Beth… and stop looking so worried! Your not in any kind of trouble."

Beth sat down, still not feeling entirely relaxed. Gina sat down opposite her and cleared some files off the desk between them.

"Emma Keane. I believe you and her are close?" Gina enquired. Beth shrugged; not sure how much her friendship with Emma was worth anymore. "Close enough for you to voice you're your concerns over her health to the Super? Beth nodded, looking at the floor. "Can you explain to me everything that has happened during the last… four weeks lets say, Heaton was very vague to say the least."

"I think its Sally you should be talking to Ma'am. It was her who saw Lewis reading the magazine." Beth said earnestly.

"Yes well Sally isn't in today Beth so I'm afraid, you'll have to give it your best shot." Gina frowned. "You were there I assume…" Beth nodded. "In that case you should have no trouble just telling me what you saw then." Again Beth nodded, feeling her hands begin to quiver.

"Lewis shouted across to Sally as she came into the canteen for R.E.F's I didn't think anything of it, just something work related. Emma was sitting next to me and she was telling me about a holiday she was going to take next year once she had got enough money. I kept an eye on Sal and Lewis and she seemed to be getting pretty worked up about something, they were both looking down at what I now know to be a lad's magazine. Sally came over a few minutes later looking really flustered. I asked her if everything was ok and Sal got really… defensive. She started ranting about guys – Lewis in particular being an insensitive jerk. Then Emma started crying… and getting worked up saying she's done so well, that for two years she had forgotten she'd existed and things like that. Emz was really bitter about it… and Sally was being really comforting but I just didn't have a clue. Until Sally said quietly that Aimee was Emma's sister… a model." Beth explained. Gina nodded.

"And then later on Sally explained everything I guess?" Gina asked after sometime of silence.

"Yeah… I took Emma off to an interview room to try and calm her down – it didn't work though… she wouldn't stop saying how perfect Aimee was and how perfect her life was… it scared me 'coz Emma always seems to in control of her emotions… and yet she lost it over all I could see being a couple of pics." Beth said screwing her face up in concentration. "Emma walked out of the interview room and I didn't see her for the rest of the day – Sally filled me in whilst we were on patrol…"

"I see… and how has Emma been after that day… have you noticed any change in her attitude or behaviour?"

"Yeah… there's a load of stuff Sal and I have noticed. Emma has barely speaks to any of us anymore… and she doesn't come out with us after work either. She's totally shut off from us. From everyone." Beth stopped and looked up suddenly, biting her lip anxiously. "There's something else as well… I've been paired with Emma a lot… and I've not once seen her eat anything. Not even a sandwich or biscuit. She always says she's eating later or she ate earlier. I've asked around and no one seems to have seen her eat anything for a good while."

"Anorexia?" Gina said, voicing her own concerns as they shot through her head. Beth shrugged, suddenly looking very worried.

"I'd like to say no… but truthfully. I don't know Ma'am." She sighed, shaking her head as she thought about the potential real extent of her friend's problems. "Even in a month… I've noticed she looks different, pale and gaunt… she sees everything a different way to Sally, you and me. If she says anything to us it's something very – I don't know how to describe it, like… I don't err… I'm not sure, but it makes her sound feelingless and cold… and not like Emma."

"Ok… and one more thing PC Green. I've heard that Emma's… how shall I put it? Popular with the lads?" Gina said, scribbling down some notes. Beth laughed and nodded.

"That's one way of putting it… and I guess to some degree the root of the problem – well part of it. Emma's – lets say infatuated with Will – she just doesn't realise that her infatuation is reciprocated. He just doesn't know how to tell her, much like she doesn't either. And I've heard that the CPS Lawyer… Matt thinks she's pretty as well." Beth raised her eyebrows. "_Pretty_… even the nicest blokes seem to weigh girls up on looks. They only seem to be interested if we are 'pretty' or 'attractive' - personality never comes into it." Gina sighed.

"Thanks Beth. Maybe now… we can somehow try and help the poor kid." Gina sighed. "If your not quick Emma will think something's gone wrong, so you better go. Look anything you find out from Sally, Will – well anyone I guess then I would appreciate you letting me know. Just so we can monitor what's happening in Emma's mind." Beth nodded.

"I'll probably see you later on Ma'am." Beth said, standing up and walking towards the door. Gina nodded.

"Good luck with her… don't push her to hard either." Gina said also standing up. Beth nodded understandingly and left Gina's office ready to find Emma.


	4. The Opposition

"Fight on St. Thomas Road, can anyone deal?"

Dan and Roger looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "I guess we better take 'ey?" Roger sighed, throwing his paper coffee cup out of the car window. Dan nodded and revved up the engine. "275 to Sierra one, show us dealing."

Less than two minutes later, Dan and Roger arrived at the scene, checking the two girls who were fighting out before they got involved.

"Excuse me ladies, PC's Casper and Valentine. Would you mind telling us your names please." Tony shouted as he ran over the road. Both girls let go of the other for a split second before they resumed their brawl.

"Ladies! Please!" Dan shouted, as he stood in the middle of them, Tony pulling the taller girl off the other. "Right now can we trust you to keep your hands off each other for two minutes whilst we work out what's gone wrong." Both girls rolled their eyes and nodded, still throwing dirty looks in the others direction. "Names please.

"Aimee." The tall blonde girl sighed. Dan let go of her and put a warning finger up in front of her.

"And you are…" Dan asked signalling to the slim brunette who was still withering in Roger's grip.

"Jaycee Irons." Roger looked at Dan not sure whether to let the girl go. "Well ya can getcha filfy 'ands off meh mate before I getcha dun fer sexual 'arassment." Dan coughed, trying to stifle a laugh. She wouldn't know what to do with a lawsuit if she was handed one and given a day's tuition on it.

"Alright Ms Irons PC Valentine will let go if you keep your calm." Dan bargained. Jaycee nodded and smiled, feigning innocence. Roger let go of the girl's waist and she walked off over to a near by bench.

"Aimee… can you tell me what started this please?" Dan asked gently. He could see that a bruise was beginning to form on the girls face. He hadn't really noticed until now, but she was gorgeous. Aimee shifted in her red stilettos, biting her lip.

"It's ok actually. We were just being silly…"

"I wan' that cow arrested fer wha' she's dun to meh!" Jaycee screamed across the pavement as she tended to a small scratch on the side of her face.

"Just being silly? I don't think Jaycee saw it like that." Dan said. "Look I can either do you both for assault or you can just tell me what the hell was going on." Aimee nodded and started rummaging through her jacket pocket.

"Jaycee is a… err prostitute…" Aimee said in hushed tones. "And her Pimp supplies drugs to my agent… he was out scouting today so I was asked to come and collect a package. I didn't know what it was… Jay gave me a brown envelope and when I looked in it I saw all this dope. I handed it back to her… I may be a model but I don't do drugs. That's just real low. If my agent wants to screw himself up then that's his problem but he ain't dragging me down wiv' him. Jay shook her head and explained that if she took the drugs back to her Pimp then he'd hit 'er around. I didn't want that – Jay and I are close. I suggested that she could pocket it for her clients but she could get into even worse trouble for that. I started to walk away but she started on me. I gave as good as I got. I had to other wise she'd a' had me in hospital."

"So you're saying it's self defence?" Roger asked after jotting everything down. Aimee looked thoughtful for a moment and nodded.

"Yeah…"

"Well we need you to stay here Aimee and we will go and get Jaycee's side of the story." Dan explained. Five minutes later after much raised voices and struggling, the two boys were reading Jaycee her rights.

"Jaycee Irons I am arresting you on suspicion of possession and intent to supply of a Class A drug and ABH you do not have to say anything, but anything you do say may be given in evidence." Dan recited as he clipped the handcuffs over Jaycee's wrists and led her over to the car. "Mind your head." The door slammed shut and Dan walked back over to Aimee.

"Ok Aimee, I'm not going to arrest you but if I wanted to I could. ABH and possession of a Class A drug is a serious offence." Dan reprimanded. Aimee sighed, a huge grin on her face. "I believe what you said about Jaycee starting on you, and Roger and I are going to trust you to come back into the station so we can take your statement."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Aimee grinned throwing her arms around Dan. Dan smiled has he felt Aimee's bear legs against his. Once Aimee had let go of his neck, Dan riffled through his wallet and pulled out his card.

"I'm Dan Casper, this is my number. If you show this to the receptionist then they will radio through to me." Dan explained as Aimee placed the card in her mini skirt pocket.

"Right… and one last thing before I go. I need your full name and age." Aimee nodded.

"I'm twenty four, and I live in the new block of apartments down at the Wharf in Chelsea. It's the Penthouse." Dan couldn't help but get the feeling Aimee was boasting. I mean to be only twenty-four and earning enough to afford anything in Chelsea was some feat, let alone a penthouse apartment overlooking the old Wharf.

"And your name." Dan said, trying not to sound too impressed.

"Aimee. Aimee Keane." Dan smiled and began to walk away, before he realised what the blonde bombshell had said he twirled around quickly on the spot. Her surname was Keane. Dan didn't know whether Emma had a sister but the more he looked at Aimee, the more he saw likenesses between the two. "Is there anything wrong constable?" She asked, twirling her hair in her finger.

"N… no everything's just… g-great." He stuttered, slowly turning around and then running over the road and getting into the drivers seat of the Panda Car.

After several minutes of silence as Dan negotiated the busy roads, he broke the silence he and Roger had lapsed into.

"D'ya know if Emz has a sister?" Roger looked taken aback.

"I've never heard her talk about one. Why?" Roger asked after thinking carefully. Dan said nothing for a second as he concentrated on the next busy junction.

"The girl who was in the brawl… she's called Aimee Keane." Dan explained, hushing his voice so Jaycee couldn't hear their conversation. Roger looked at Dan.

"Could just be coincidence. I mean Keane isn't exactly uncommon is it?" Dan shook his head, remembering back to when he was at school. In his year alone there had been two boys and a girl with the last name Keane. "You'll have to ask someone down the station. Sally or Beth might know." Roger suggested.

"Yeah. I mean I guess we'd know if Emma had a model as a sister. She'd probably be really proud of her and all that. Every time something big came her way it wouldn't surprise me if Emma was shouting about it from the roof!" Dan laughed, knowing Emma was usually very celebratory in the way she was with people. Roger laughed in agreement, but as he began to think about Emma and her likenesses with Aimee, he began to wonder if the Emma he had known a little over two months ago was the same Emma he and everyone else knew today. Something had changed, but he couldn't seem to put his finger on what it was.


	5. The 'Problem'

**This chapter is dedicated to Laura, Hollie, Leanne and of course... Pippa for reviewing the last four chapters. I hope you guys don't get too bored and carry on reviewing... thanks!**

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As promised, Aimee turned up at Sun Hill station within the hour and she walked into reception rather nervously, she knew that in giving a statement against Jaycee she was doing the right thing, however something was telling her that her agent and other girls that she knew within her modelling wouldn't approve.

"Can I help you?" A woman asked from behind the desk. Aimee nodded and walked over to the woman.

"PC's Valentine and Casper have asked me to come in to give a statement about an arrest they made earlier on St Thomas Road… a… err _fight_" Aimee said quietly, trying to not to draw to much attention to herself. Walking into a police station wearing a denim mini skirt and crimson vest top with similarly coloured pink stilettos gave people enough wrong ideas about her, without needing to know she was giving a statement for. The woman nodded and tapped away on her computer, her silvery hair sparkling in the artificial light.

"Between Jaycee Irons and Aimee Keane?" Aimee nodded and smiled, finding the sensation of being referred to in the third person when she was standing right in front of the woman who was talking unknowingly about her rather strange. "If you take a seat, I will get someone to come and take your statement. Again, Aimee nodded, before taking a seat on the blue metal chairs.

"Oi… any of you lot fancy doing some work today?" Smithy shouted across the canteen to the table of four police constables who, apart from one, were stuffing their faces with food. Emma jumped at the sudden noise. "Anyone wanna go and take a girls statement about the fight earlier on?" Dan, Roger and Sally stayed quiet.

"I'll take it…" Emma said quietly, keen to get away from the constant questions. 'Why aren't you eating?' 'Do you want me to get you anything from the hatch?' and so on. To be honest, the thought of food made Emma's stomach churn over and the prospect of getting away from the smell of nuked food seemed like nothing short of heaven.

"I was hoping Roger might volunteer actually, seeing as he was first on the scene this morning." Smithy said. Roger groaned.

"But Serge, Emma said she'd do it." Roger pleaded with his superior. Dale rolled his eyes.

"Right, on this _one_ occasion, Emma if you don't mind taking the girl's statement seeing as Roger has other ideas about how to spend his work day. Anytime you need something doing for you Emma then let Roger know and I'm sure he will be happy to oblige." Smithy said smiling, proud of his spontaneous sanctioning. Emma too smiled, however the smile didn't seem to lift the ghostly whiteness around her eyes. Before anyone could say anything more, Emma hurried off towards the reception where she assumed the witness was waiting.

"Liz, Sergeant Smith said there is a woman here who needs a statement taking about the fight earlier on." Emma said, resting her pale hands on the desk. Liz nodded, and pointed at the blonde girl who was looking out of the station doors. "Thanks… do you mind lending me a pen… I left mine in the canteen."

"Sure… I think I've got a spare one here…" Liz said pulling out a drawer and riffling through it. Liz pulled her hand of the drawer, and passed Emma a blue biro. "There you go love." Liz smiled, however the smile soon turned to a shudder of horror as Emma's cold, skeletal hand brushed over Liz's fingers as she received the pen.

"Thanks…" Emma leant over the desk and picked up a sheet of lined A4 paper before she attempted to walk off, only for her wrist to be taken hold of before she had chance.

"You're freezing Emma… you haven't got a fever or anything have you lovey? I don' think I've ever seen nobody with such a pale face." Liz said soothingly. Emma pulled her wrist away, why did everyone feel the need to poke their noses in her business?

"I'm fine… just got a cold. Nothing I can't handle." Emma replied coldly, turning on the spot and walking over to the tall blonde.

"Hi… I'm PC Keane and I've been asked to…" Emma trailed off as the young girl before her turned her head. "I… I've been asked to take y-y… your statement Aims…" Emma finished, her hand resting on the wall as she tried to stop herself shaking. Aimee said nothing, words failing her. "You better come in here." Emma whispered hoarsely, opening the door to the soft interview room. Aimee sat down in one of the green padded chairs, resting her head in her hands. What were the chances of bumping into your sister in one out of tens of stations in London?

"I thought PC Valentine or PC Casper would be taking my statement…" Aimee said, breaking the silence that had descended on the sisters. Emma shook her head.

"They should be… but they're to busy stuffing their faces." Emma replied. Aimee attempted to laugh – just about now the thought of food made her feel violently sick. Aimee had become accustomed to thinking and feeling like this, but what she didn't realise was the one young police officer who was sitting opposite her was feeling the exact same thoughts with the mirrored passion of herself. "I guess we better get this over with. I mean keep it professional and all that." Aimee nodded sadly, who had she been fooling when she thought there might have been a small chance of reconciliation?

"Yeah… sure. Err… what is it I need to do?" Aimee asked, feeling her forehead moisten, she had never been good under pressure, but since she had adopted her 'problem' all of two years ago since her and Emma had finally had one fight that parted them near enough finally, she often felt faint and dizzy as well. Emma handed Aimee a pen and the paper she had taken from Liz's desk.

"Write exactly what you saw… approximate times and who was involved." Emma explained, assuming Aimee was acting merely as a witness.

"Actually… Emz, you probably ought to know… I… didn't just _see_ - I _did _too." Aimee revealed as she took a seat at the table and began writing, her neat loopy writing almost identical to Emma's.

"Fair enough… then – write what happened, what it was over and all the rest. Anything you think might help will help profoundly." Emma replied, unsure of why Aimee had told her that, in the past they were both happy to assume and never be told anything on the contrary.

Neither girls said anything; all that broke the silence between them was the nib of the biro against the paper. After about fifteen minutes, Aimee finally felt she had covered everything, including the fact that her agent was a drug addict. She knew that it could, and most likely would be the end of her career, but in meeting Emma again, she had realised that there was a lot more importance to life than modelling.

"There you go sis…" Aimee smiled after signing and dating the bottom of her statement. Emma nodded.

"Thanks… we might need you to come back down to the station depending on what evidence we find. " Emma smiled. Aimee nodded and Emma walked towards the door, however Aimee lingered back. "You can go now you know…"

"Err… I know… I just… err. Look Emma I know that I haven't always been the best sister." Emma stifled a laugh. "Ok… look I have never been much of a sister towards you… but I was wondering… if you wanted to come around to mine tonight?" Emma double took.

"I'm not sure… so much has happened Aimee. I can't go from pretending I don't have a sister. Forging a life with no family – to suddenly one day… well me and you being like this." Emma crossed her middle and index fingers.

"Just to catch up? Go on… I'm sure we could both do with someone to talk too." Aimee suggested. "Will's not going to be home tonight… he's working."

"Boyfriend?" Emma questioned. Aimee nodded but shrugged at the same time.

"That's the idea. He always seems to be working late or working over time or double shifts." Aimee explained. "I asked him if he wanted to move in with me about six months ago… and since then… well it's not been the same. His superintendent always seems to need him to come in as opposed to… well any other copper."

"Maybe it'll do us both good…" Emma sighed, coming around to the idea. "But if I come around… I won't be drinking…" Aimee looked at Emma quizzically – admittedly she didn't drink either, but her little sister had always been the one going out on Friday nights with her friends and coming back plastered, much to their parents dismay. "Have you seen the calories in alcohol?!" Emma laughed, trying to be casual.

"But you look great… you don't need to diet." Aimee said, looking her sister up and down. Emma raised her eyebrow disbelievingly.

"It's much more than a diet actually. I like to think of it as major detox." Emma said. Aimee didn't take her eyes off Emma. She couldn't have _it _as well. Could she? Aimee thought of asking Emma what she meant, but decided better of it. She would find out for sure if she and her sister shared more traits than either thought possible tonight.

* * *

**I hope your are liking this fic... I've had loads of positive feedback so thank you all so much! Please review if you have read it - even if you just wanna say it's crap. That way I can try and improve. Emz xxx**


	6. Real Girl

**Sorry about the delay in update... I've had a lot of trouble writing this chapter... it all got a bit too real at several times through out it. Yeah... I hope you enjoy... if you are a little squeemish then I do apologize... it wasn't very nice writing some of it for that reason! Please review - Emz xXx**

* * *

Emma knocked on the door bearing a silver 1A. She could hear loud, shaky sobs coming from within.

"Aimee… is that you?" Emma asked quietly, pushing the letterbox open. More sobs greeted her question, however they were becoming more audible. Emma stood up again, assuming that Aimee was coming towards the door, which she was. Seconds later, the door opened and unlike earlier, Emma was able to see Aimee for what she really was. Her mascara had run down her thin cheeks, and where her foundation had been rubbed away around her eyes, she looked ghostly and skeletal, the sparkle in her eyes Emma had noticed earlier on, had disappeared leaving two grey blue holes that appeared too big in comparison to the rest of Aimee's features.

Emma took two steps into the apartment, and closed the door behind her before she realised she wasn't just holding her own weight, but Aimee's too.

"What's happened?" Emma breathed.

"He's… he's gone Emma…" Aimee sobbed, her bony shoulder digging into Emma's. Emma rested her arms around Aimee's small shaking frame.

"If he's been stupid enough to leave you Aims, he doesn't disserve you." Emma soothed, trying to move Aimee over to the sofa. Once Aimee was sitting down, Emma took her chance to give her sister a better look. She was no longer wearing a mini skirt and vest top, but tracksuit bottoms and a baggy white t-shirt that was not much paler than Aimee's skin tone. Her hair was pulled right back, off her face, and Emma suddenly realised that Aimee's life wasn't as perfect as she had suspected. Emma sat down next to her sister and took hold of her fragile hand. "What's happened to you Aims?"

Aimee didn't say anything, but shrugged, her shoulder blades pronounced even through the t-shirt that was several sizes to big for her. "He said that… that there was a police officer." Aimee said suddenly. "He said that he was worried about her… he said something was wrong and he wanted to make it better." Emma didn't know what to say.

"Did he leave you for someone else?" Aimee nodded. "Scum bag." Emma sighed viscously, not realising she was talking about someone who she deeply cared for. Aimee's deep sobs subsided and her little body stopped shaking quite so violently. "Right… I know only one thing that can treat a broken heart!" Aimee looked at Emma quizzically. "Chocolate of course!" Emma grinned, although inside her stomach was wrenching at the thought of the rich substance. Aimee looked panicked.

"No… no I'm fine. Honestly!" Aimee stuttered, her bony hand, ridden all over with what appeared to be white tissue paper grabbing on to Emma's before she could get off the sofa. Emma took hold of Aimee's hand and held it as if she was worried it might break. She realised that what she had originally thought to be white tissue paper was actually lose, sagging skin.

"Your not fine Aims… you're anything from it…" Emma gasped, as she moved her free hand towards the seem of Aimee's t-shirt.

"Emma no… don't!" Aimee pleaded, her body beginning to shake again. She had managed to keep her _problem_ under wraps from Will for six months of them living together, and it had taken Emma less than a day to realise. Emma shook her head, tears beginning to leak out of her own eyes. She gently lifted the edge of Aimee's t-shirt up, and instantly felt even sicker than she had done earlier on in the canteen. "Look at you… your dying Aims…" Emma breathed, realising that she too could turn out like her big sister. Aimee shook her head at Emma's words.

"No Emma! I'm not. You see I've got it all under control. I can deal with it. I'm ok." Aimee said, a smile twisting with her lips. "This is a way of life. It's like a religion Emma. I'm not ill… it's the way I live… like a Christian goes to church every Sunday and all the rest. I just… I just don't eat."

"How do you control your hunger?" Emma asked.

"I drink lots of water… I guess after eighteen months of eating next to nothing and living off vitamin supplements your body forgets its cravings. For the first two months you wouldn't have seen me without gum or a ciggie hangin' out me mouth – that helped as well. When I was really low… I mean I couldn't get out of bed some mornings… well I was living with a girl. She was a stripper in some tacky club my agent went too. She always had some ecstasy or coke stashed away somewhere in the flat and as soon as she gave me a couple of shots of that - as my agent said I was… bouncing off the roof I was so high." Aimee admitted. "Once… once things got so bad… I wanted to forget that my tummy was always grumbling and I was always willing myself to find some chocolate in the cupboard… I… I… well look…" Aimee held out her left wrist to show several white lines along her veins. Emma shook her head. "My agent realised what was happening to me and made sure I was always taking vitamin supplements and he forced me to quite smoking 'coz apparently it makes you gain weight. He still says I could do with losing a few pounds. And I agree."

"Don't listen to him! He's poisoning your mind Aimee!" Emma exploded. "You don't need to keep this up." She begged.

"Hypocrite!" Aimee retorted, her tone of voice reverting to how it would have been whilst they were teenagers at home. Emma spluttered and coughed on a sharp intake of breath. "And don't deny it Emma. I heard some officers talking whilst I was waiting for someone to take my statement."

"I… I… but I don't know what you're on about." Emma said, looking at the ground. "What were they saying?"

"Just that over the last month and a half or so you've lost a lot of weight and stopped going out with them… that you've isolated yourself from everyone." Said Aimee.

"But… that doesn't mean I'm… yano… I've got that problem." Emma replied, not being able to say the word without a feeling of guilt arising in the pit of her stomach.

"No… ok fair play Emz, but I know what Anorexia feels like and I know what mental implications it has on people. I don't blame you not wanting to admit to it… I mean there are so many girls I know who have an eating disorder and don't want to admit it… or haven't wanted too. They just end up worse off in the long run. Us girls who… who yano have it, stick together and help each other out. But… well there was this one girl. Kristi, she was beautiful – my agent adored her; she was like the equivalent of teachers pet. She had Bulimia and then Anorexia – I had my suspicions but because she never opened up about it, I didn't dare bring it up myself, so she never had anyone to help her through the worst days of it. And the worst day… well came around… and it must have been crippling because… she committed suicide. Me, Leigh-Anna and Michelle all ring each other every day just to check the other is ok… and if they aren't… well we offer a shoulder to cry on so to speak. Kristi didn't have that… and she needed it. If she had told us… she might still be here now…" Aimee explained, bowing her head slightly as she spoke of Kristi, the moment her agent pulled her and his five other girls into his office to tell them she had died, still running clearly through her mind. Emma gawped at her sister, she knew that her problem could kill you, but she just never realised it had. Especially someone who was so close to her sister.

"I'm sorry…" Emma sighed, placing a hand on Aimee's shoulder, only for her to shrug it off seconds later.

"She isn't the first girl I've known it to happen to…actually – it's quite a regular occurrence I just don't want it to happen to you." Aimee said sincerely. Emma bit her lip and nodded.

"I don't want it to happen to you either… so I was thinking." Emma stopped and positioned herself on the sofa so she was facing Aimee. "Maybe we could get help…" She finished quickly, bracing herself for Aimee's reaction. "People have been dropping all sorts of hints at the nick… apparently there are loads of self help groups."

"No… look Emz I'm really sorry but I can't do it. It'll be all over the tabloids. I'll help myself in my own time. As long as I've got support from people around me – I'll do fine." Aimee sighed, after thinking for some while. Emma raised her eyebrow.

"In that case… look Aimee if you aren't going to help yourself, then I can't stay around you anymore. You said that if you don't admit you have a problem you end up worse off in the long run… well I have admitted I've got a problem. I do have Anorexia Aimee and so do you. No amount of running away will change that. I've got to get help before I end up like Kristi. And you should whilst you have the choice too." Emma said, getting up off the sofa and walking towards the door. "You know where I am during the day if you change your mind – I just hope you do…"

Emma tried to smile at her sister, but failed. What if she did end up like Kristi? She wouldn't be able to forgive herself for not forcing her into getting help.

_**And all I can do is be true to myself  
I don't need permission from nobody else  
'Cause this is the real world, I'm not a little girl  
I know exactly who I am**_


	7. The Mother I Never Had

Emma glanced at her watch, 7.50. She had to be at work in ten minutes, however decided to apply a little bit of make up around her eyes to try and disguise the black rings that had appeared around them over night, Emma suspected from lack of sleep worrying about her and her sister's condition.

"There you go Emma." She breathed quietly after smearing some foundation around her eyes and flicking her eyelashes with mascara, successfully hiding the shadows that made her face look even gaunter that it actually was.

At two minutes past eight, Emma rushed into Sun Hill station, making her way into the female locker rooms so she could get changed into her uniform. Lately, she had found herself making a habit of being late so she could get changed in peace without any questions about her health being asked or speculated upon.

"Nice of you to join us Miss Keane." Superintendent John Heaton said rather bitterly as Emma gently knocked on the door and quietly slipped in. Emma opened her mouth to give her excuse but Heaton silenced her. "See me at the end. You have already interrupted us enough thank you very much." Emma stood to the side, her shoulders slumping slightly as she was left feeling like a child being reprimanded by their head teacher. She could feel all eyes on her and a blush creeping up her neck.

After the briefing, Emma wondered whether she could sneak out amongst the crowd without Heaton noticing, however all hopes were dashed when he called her name out. "Emma… my office five minutes. Don't be late."

"Sir." Emma mumbled, walking out of the briefing room feeling even more depressed than she might have done if he'd just told her what's what there and then.

"Good luck Emz!" Will smiled, nudging Emma's side. Emma flinched at his touch, jumping away hurriedly; worried he may have asked questions after his elbow came into contact with an unusually pronounced rib. Will raised his eyebrow quizzically.

"I'll see you at the are car in a little while." She said quietly, quickly turning around and almost running off through the blue metal doors. Several officers looked around at the sudden movement, turning to the next and saying something like 'A little keen isn't she?'

"Ah… Emma. You better come in." John said after Emma had impatiently waited ten minutes outside of his office. He unlocked his door and waved her in. "Sit down." Emma did as her superior asked, looking at the carpet nervously. "It's annoying be kept waiting. Right? I'm sure Will has better things to be doing than waiting for you. And equally I'm sure you have better things to be doing than waiting for me." Emma nodded, not sure where Heaton was going. "Just like I have better things to be doing than waiting for a plainly incompetent officer to turn up in the morning. I have noticed you turning up late a lot recently." John sat down in his chair and pulled out a piece of lined paper. "Actually, it would appear you have only been on time… once in the last two weeks." Emma shifted uncomfortably. "It's just not acceptable Emma. And your police work has been much less effective recently too. There must be a reason for this. I mean good coppers don't just suddenly turn… bad for want of a better word, in all of a month. What's going on?"

"I… I dunno sir." Emma lied, brushing a few strands of hair back from her face.

"You must have some idea. Beth, Sally, Will, Gina and I are all awfully concerned over your health Emma." John said. "You probably realise there has been a lot of speculation around you over the last month or two. If everyone else has made their bet over what's wrong, you must know." Neither officer said anything for several minutes. "Would it help talking to Gina? Or the FME?" Emma looked thoughtful for a second before nodding.

"Maybe Gina could help." Emma agreed. John smiled and picked up the receiver on his phone, pressing the '6', which linked him up to the Inspectors office.

"Hi Gina, can you get up to my office ASAP… thanks." John put the receiver down almost as quickly as he had picked it up and stood up, beginning to pace the room. "I'm going to leave you and Inspector Gold alone… if you've not been able to open up to just me then I won't be any help with Gina in here too." A few minutes later, John still hadn't stopped pacing. Emma didn't quite know what he was so anxious about, but she didn't believe that it was her place to ask. Thankfully, it wasn't long until Gina arrived. Emma wasn't sure what she was going to say, but she knew she had to ask her for help of some sort. "Thanks for coming up Gina… I'm going to leave you girls to it. I'll be back up in about fifteen minutes."

Gina looked panicked. No one had told her why she was to go to John's office, and now he was leaving without many words.

"Emma…" Gina said, sitting down and looked around for an indication of what to do on her superior's desk.

"He was telling me off about being late… and he thinks something else is wrong… but he doesn't think he should be the one talking to me about it." Emma explained. Gina nodded.

"So… is there anything wrong?" Gina asked bluntly. Emma shifted.

"I think people have already worked it out. Well… it didn't take Aimee long to work it out." Emma said distantly.

"Aimee's your sister right?" Gina asked, realising now that she should have picked up on the signs much sooner. It wasn't as if Emma was still looking and acting 'normal'. Emma nodded. "She's a model I hear?" Again Emma nodded, inhaling deeply. The word she was about to speak scared her more than anything in the world, and just thinking about it seemed to have an affect on her breathing as it became shallow but erratic in a space of seconds.

"She's got an illness. But she won't let me help her." She breathed, running a hand through her brittle and limp hair. "It could kill her… but she… I dunno. It's like she doesn't care."

"What kind of illness Emma?" Gina asked, sitting down next to Emma.

"Anorexia." Gina coughed on the breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"I see. But this isn't the only problem is it sweetie?" Gina whispered, shocked by her own compassion towards the young girl.

"I think…" Emma paused. "I know I've got it too." She admitted, breaking down into a silent flood of tears. It had hurt more talking to Gina about it than she had realised. Maybe that's why Aimee couldn't admit help.

Gina pulled Emma into a hug, which Emma greatly fell into. It felt great having someone to mother her and look after her the way her own mother never had. "We need to get you some help don't we missy?" Emma nodded, trying to sort out the blacky brown concoction running down her face. "How about… when Superintendent Heaton gets back, we go down to the hospital and get you checked over?"

"What happens if they want me sectioned?" Emma asked suddenly, pulling away from Gina and standing up, moving as away from Gina as she could.

"Shh… Emma, I won't let them. We'll just get you some advice. And then we'll work out where to go from there." Gina soothed. Emma nodded, not sure whether she should trust her Inspector or go and find Aimee. "Or you could go and imprison your self in your sister's life. And then maybe you would end up being sectioned." She continued, as if reading Emma's mind.

"Ok… you go and find the Super… and I'll go and tell Will I need to do something. Then I will wait in my car for you." Emma said, taking control of the situation. "On second thoughts… I want Will to come with me. Is that ok Ma'am?" Gina didn't say anything. "Please… I've heard he's worried about me… and I trust him not to stir up a lot of gossip like some of the girls might."

"Ok… but if we are still at the hospital at 2.00, then he will have to come back to work." Gina relented. Emma grinned, and walked out of the office. Although she felt more ill, tired and sick than ever before, she felt a million more mixed emotions inside her than seemed to have disappeared over the past two months during which she had cut herself off from her friends and colleagues and they felt great!


	8. I Hate How Much I Love You

"Emma… why've we come here?" Will asked quietly, pulling the petite woman who was walking slowly beside him slightly to the side. Emma sighed, back in the car, Gina had told him under no uncertain terms to leave Emma be, however their inspector had gone to fetch them all a drink whilst they waited for a doctor and wasn't here to save her from his questions now.

"Because… 'coz…" Emma bit her lip nervously, and linked her arm through Will's, as she led him over to the waiting area. "Your gonna hate me…" Will looked nervously on at Emma.

"It can't be that bad. Can it?" Will asked, taking hold of Emma's trembling hands.

"I… I think I have… anorexia." Emma said quietly the tears in her eyes blurring her surroundings as she looked down at the metallic flooring. Will's grip on Emma's hands loosened, as he looked her up and down, shaking his head.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

"I couldn't admit it… it was only seeing what I could make self when I realised I didn't need to put myself through it… my sister, Aimee has it – please don't tell anyone." Emma pleaded suddenly, realising what she had said. Will nodded understandingly before Emma continued. "She's had it for about eighteen months. It scared me seeing her like… that. So I realised I needed to get help before I ended up like her."

"You said you have a sister…" Will said.

"Yeah. Before yesterday, we hadn't spoken in about two years. She's a model you see. I was really jealous of her." Will paled, suddenly standing up and beginning to pace the room. "Will… what's happened? It's supposed to be me who's scared…"

"I can't believe it… just can't be happening. Not now…" He breathed. Emma stood up and stopped Will pacing, holding onto his arms at his elbow.

"What are you on about? What can't be happening?" Emma asked desperately. "Come on Will, tell me…" Emma pushed Will onto his seat and knelt down onto the floor. "It doesn't sound good. You don't panic at anything." Emma tried to lighten the atmosphere.

"Aimee Keane… your sister right?" Emma nodded. "Tall, blonde, slim… way too slim?" Again Emma nodded. "Did she say anything about a boyfriend?"

"Yeah… only that he was called…" Emma paused. "Shit…" She started shaking, her knee banging against the hard floor. "It was you… wasn' it. You finished it with Aimee…"

"Because I was worried about you…" Will finished. Emma stood up as Will tried to take hold of her hands. "I'm sorry Emz… if I'd have known that Aimee was your sister, I would have finished things sooner. Neither of you ever talked about any brothers or sisters."

"YOU HURT HER WILL!" Emma said, her voice raised. "She was in pieces last night… I've never seen _anyone _so distraught. About _anything…_" Tears began to appear in Will's eyes. "I only knew that 'he' was called Will… I called 'him' a Scum Bag. I didn't realise it was you. Maybe if I had I would have said something else. You know I don't judge people on what I hear, but I know you… so I wouldn't have been judging." Will looked hurt.

"I left her because I realised that I was with the wrong person…" Will reasoned. "I realised you were having a hard time of it and wanted to help you…"

"Well you can help me by leaving me alone. I don't want you here Will. I DON'T WANT YOU ANYWHERE NEAR ME OR AIMEE." Emma shouted. Will looked taken aback, but he didn't move.

"Please Em – I didn't mean to hurt her. If I'd known what she was going through, then I would have tried to help her. I just had no idea. She hid it so well." Will sighed, as he remembered back to various times he had spent with Aimee. Now he knew, it was obvious Aimee was ill. "I should have realised…" He finished, mentally kicking himself from being so stupid.

"Your right, you shoulda' done." Emma replied viscously. "But that doesn't change anything. I've told you to go… NOW GET LOST!" Emma swung her left hand up towards Will's cheek, but somehow, he'd read her, grabbing onto her wrist before it made contact with his skin.

"You wouldn't dare…" Will hissed, throwing Emma's hand down to her side, and walking off through the double doors, almost knocking Gina to the floor as he walked into her side, totally oblivious to anyone else around him.

"WILL?! WILL?!" Gina shouted, turning on her heel and walking to catch up with him as he sunk down against the green wall. "What's wrong? I thought you were with Emma." Will looked up from his knees, and Gina saw the tears freely flowing down his cheeks from his glassy eyes. He shook his head, roughly wiping the tears from his face before they fell from his jaw line.

"I was… but I've hurt her. I didn't mean to… I just… she was blaming me…" Will said helplessly, however Gina didn't hear the end of his sentence, for she had already rushed through the double doors, leaving three steaming cups of coffee on a metal seat.

Seconds later, Will was drawn from the daydream he was in. Everything seemed brighter, better and like there was more to live for in that world. A world Will was happy to be part of. But of course, that was wishful thinking. He watched several men in deep green overalls quickly wheel a bed along the corridor, with several nurses following behind deep in hushed conversation with a middle aged man who was consulting a note pad. One sentence in particular caught Will's attention.

"Keane? I've heard that name before." A nurse said, scratching the side of her head. Will jumped up and ran along to the doctor.

"Is she ok? What's happened to her?"

"And you are?" The doctor asked off handed, stopping for a split second before carrying on behind the bed.

"I'm… I'm her ex. Please tell me what's wrong…" Will asked, pulling the doctor back again. The doctor sighed, and nodded.

"Follow me sir." Will did as he was asked and followed the man back into the room he had left Emma in. He looked over at her, trying to give some sort of signal. "In here… if you'd like too sit down." Will sat down on the black leather sofa opposite the doctor's desk and held his head in his hands. Both Aimee and Emma being admitted into hospital in one day… could it really get any worse? "Miss Keane suffered a heart attack…" Will closed his eyes. Maybe it was just a dream and in a few minutes he'd wake up to find everything was fine. "We think it was caused by her eating patterns… or lack of I should say. Were you aware that her weight is dangerously low?" Will shook his head.

"Her sister is a cop like me, she's in here now – about to see a doctor. You see she has anorexia too. I didn't realise until Emma told me." The doctor nodded. "Apparently she's had it for a year and a half."

"Thanks – that's a great help. But I need you to understand, it's not looking good for Aimee. She had to be resuscitated in the ambulance several times and she's been deemed as critical. She's being rushed into have emergency surgery now, we are hoping that her surgeon will be able to repair the rupture and thus, allow oxygen to run through the heart again." Will rushed out of the doctors office, getting strange looks from many of the patients around the door.

"Emma…" Will said, running over to the two women in police uniform.

"Get lost Will. I've already told you…"

"I know what you've told me but this is important." Will insisted, interrupting Emma. Emma sighed and nodded. "It's Aimee. She's had a heart attack…" Emma's eyes widened and she started rocking backwards and forward gently. "She's in surgery… it's not looking…"

"You've said enough Will." Inspector Gold said matter of factly, shooing the young man away. Will gawped at Gina and opened his mouth to protest. "You better get back to the station, I think you've played enough games with Emma's head today…" Will bit his lip and shook his head.

Why didn't anyone believe him?

"I'm not lying…" He pleaded, hurt evident in his eyes. "Just believe me Emz. Go and ask a doctor. They'll tell you…" Will said, turning to Emma, who in turn, looked away from him. "Fine – have it that way. But don't say I didn't warn you." He finished stroppily, turning around and storming out of the waiting room, shooting back looks of pure hatred to his superior.

Ten minutes later, Will pulled up at Sun Hill, getting out of the car and slamming the door closed, it didn't look very professional, but it made him feel better. Much better! He walked into the station, trying to banish the morning's events from his head as he made his way to the locker rooms. Opening the door, he slipped it and sat down on the wooden bench before opening his locker and pulling out a mobile phone. He pressed the 'down' button and looked through his contacts, getting only six names down before the screen read 'Frank Keane'. Pressing the green button, Will held the phone up to his ear.

"Hi it's Will… Aimee's probably told you what's happened between us, and I don't blame you for not wanting to talk to me, but it's really urgent… Err, well Aimee's had a – a heart attack… no, no she's fine. In surgery actually. I've been told it's not looking good, but – well these surgeons are miracle workers nowadays… Yeah I do work with Emma – why?… Oh yeah she does know. Not that she believes me. She's at St Hugh's now, you might catch her if your quick… No worries Mr Keane, bye." Will slid his phone shut and threw it back into his locker, flinching slightly as it hit the steel back.

"Will… REF's finished over half an hour ago…" Smithy said matter of factly, as he walked into the locker rooms, and towards his own locker.

"Yeah I know Sarge. I've been out with Emma and Inspector Gold all morning – I just needed some time to clear my head." Will explained, standing up and walking towards the door. "I was just going actually…"

"Are you ok mate? You seem a little – distracted?" Smithy enquired, before Will could leave. Will shrugged.

"I'm sure it's nothing. I'll make sure my heads firmly on the job before I go out." He smiled.

"I'm not just here as your Sergeant Will, if you need to talk, you know where my office is." Will smiled appreciatively. "Hang on… why was Gina out with you and Emma this morning." Will thought for second. Should he tell Smithy the real reason he was out of the station, or not be completely liberal?

"They've gone down to St. Hugh's. Emma had an appointment – I think she asked Gina to go for moral support and I got dragged down 'coz I was paired with Emma." Will said, he and Emma might not be on brilliant terms right now, but he certainly wasn't about to jeopardise things further.

"Is she pregnant?" Smithy asked, before he really thought about what he was saying. Will shrugged. "She's just been looking a little pale on the morning shifts recently." Again Will shrugged.

"It could be anything – you know how girls are when they need to keep something hushed up." Smithy laughed and nodded. "I better be going… Gina's already on me case. See ya later."

"Howa 'bout drink down the Seven Stars? You sound like ya need it."

"I would any other day, but I need to get back down to the hospital… I mean well I've got a night in planned." Will stuttered, blushing a little at his mistake.

"What's happened to Emma? She's not just going in for an appointment is she?" Smithy asked sternly. Will frowned.

"It's not Emma. My ex-girlfriend had a heart attack this morning." He replied, almost bitterly, walking out of the locker rooms, before he broke down into yet more tears, rage rushing around through his veins. What had Aimee done to deserve such a harrowing illness? She was only young -but then so was Emma. They both were so sweet and innocent on the outside, but on the inside, there was no end to their problems…

_**And I hate how much I love you girl  
I can't stand how much I need you (yeah…)  
And I hate how much I love you girl  
But I just can't let you go  
But I hate that I love you so**_


	9. Sleep Easy

"She's stopped breathing… quick! Someone get the crash trolley – don't just stand there gawping!" A large man in pale green overalls shouted at a young, scared looking nurse as he pulled his wrist over several large creases etched into his forehead. She pushed a small, square trolley over to the table as the surgeon batted a pair of hands away from Aimee's fragile body as they compressed her chest. He quickly replaced the hands with two orange bits of paper. "Charging 180 – stand clear." As he placed the handles upon Aimee's chest, her limp body was lifted a few inches off the operating table. The surgeon looked over at the heart monitor and sighed deeply seeing the green line hadn't been raised off the flat it had fallen too. "Charging again at 260." Again, Aimee's body was pulled away from the mattress like it had been seconds before, but the horrendous monotone beep didn't stop.

Frank pressed his hand against the glass circle in the door leading to the operating theatre. He could hear a loud beeping noise. It rattled through his ears and was embedded deep into his brain.

"Charging 360…" The surgeon sighed, the hope that had once been staged in his voice dwindling.

The surgeon's voice carried through into the corridor. For a split second, Will stopped pacing and Frank stopped drumming against the glass. However after a few seconds, the beeping was still rushing through the winding corridors of St Hugh's delivering fear to two usually strong men.

Dr Arthur pulled open one of Aimee's eyelids, shining his pocket torch close to her pupil before repeating his actions to the other. "Pupils fixed and dilated – there's no hope for her now. It's been fifteen minutes since she stopped breathing." The two nurses, and second surgeon all looked at each other, and then down at Aimee. "Are we all in agreement we should stop?" Everyone nodded solemnly, the older nurse walking slowly over to the heart monitor and flicking the switch on the side. An eerie silence filled the room, and all four members of staff stood around Aimee's bed, shaking their heads. "Time of death 3.36pm." The same nurse who had just switched the monitor off, jotted down the time and date on a piece of official paper next to Aimee's head before she pulled in from the clipboard and handed it to Dr Arthur she then moved towards the door, pulling off her overalls and stuffing them into the bin, signalling for everyone else to do the same.

Will heard several doors crash, he had only just become aware that the horrible, stomach turning beeps had stopped. What had happened? Everywhere was silent…

"Hi… I'm Claire." A shaking voice broke the silence. Both Frank and Will span around. "I… I'm really sorry, but there was… n…nothing we could do." She sighed regretfully. Frank fell against the wall in front of him and Will didn't move. He couldn't – the information was still registering in his mind – or trying to. "You can have some time with her… I'm awfully sorry." Will nodded bravely and looked to Frank. He had never seen such a powerful person fall into pieces so quickly. Big clear droplets of tears ran down his cheeks, his hands holding onto his head.

"Do you want me to call Emma?" Will asked quietly, he didn't feel he had earned the right to go and see Aimee. He thought Frank would need some time alone with her.

"No… no – I'll call her later – Aimee needs us now though. Just for the last time." Frank replied, pushing open the door and holding it open for Will. Will stepped into the hallway and through into another room where a screen had been placed half way across the room.

"Mr Keane, Mr Fletcher…" A middle aged man said, nodding curtly. Will and Frank walked around the curtain, terrified by what would meet their eyes. Will sat down in one of the two chairs on either side of Aimee's bed and Frank sat down on the other, taking her cold hand in his and trying to keep it warm in his embrace.

All the stars are coming out tonight  
They're lighting up the sky tonight  
For you, for you

"Why couldn't you have told us 'ey Aims? We could have helped you some how… instead you let yourself waste away… into… nothing. " Frank sighed. "Maybe we could have tried to understand I've got no idea what was going through your mind. Were you scared? Hurting? We could have made it all better you know… it might have taken time. It would have taken time. But it would have been worth it. It'd still have my beautiful daughter now wouldn't I?" This was all too much for Will – Aimee may be his ex-girlfriend but it didn't mean all his feelings had suddenly drawn blank. "Parents aren't 'sposed to see the day their kids… well… move on. They are 'sposed to be looking down on them from up there, making sure they don't feel pain. Making sure that they are ok…" Will took hold of Aimee's other hand, his thumb gently circling the centre of it just like it had done days, weeks and months previously.

"Did you know Emma always felt second best to you? I bet you didn't. If you had, then you would have done something about it. It's too late now though. Maybe fate intervened when you got caught up in that fight with Jaycee. Maybe your guardian angel wanted you and Emma to be on talking terms when this happened… I don't geddit though Aims – why now? You know you could tell me anything… I thought you did tell me everything… obviously not…" Will sobbed, his heart breaking inside it's tough shell. Frank took his eyes off his daughter and looked at Will. He had always been sceptical of him, and when Aimee had told him that they had split up, he had been fuming; but now, now was different. He was seeing Will in a whole different light. "I'm gonna leave you two in peace. I don't deserve to be here." Will said, kissing Aimee's hand softly. "I never meant to hurt you babe. I know I did. Emma told me… apparently you were heartbroken. She isn't talking to me now. She's a good'un your sister. She stuck up for you no matter what – she did even when you weren't on speaking terms…"

Will stood up silently, bending down and pressing his lips to Aimee's cheek, looking down at her peaceful body for just one more time.

"Sleep easy sweetheart…"

All the stars are coming out tonight  
They're lighting up the sky tonight  
For you, for you-


	10. Apologize

**_Thanks to all my reviewers from chapter 9. This is dedicated to you lot!_**

* * *

Will hit his fist against a while plastic door over and over; every time he knocked and no one answered, the desperation in the pit on his stomach grew.

"EMMA! Please Emz – open the door." Will shouted, through the letterbox. He knew she was in, he could see a black silhouette casting a shadow where the light usually fell in the kitchen. "Your dad sent me…" Will sat with his back against the door, waiting for Emma to open it, he wasn't going to give up on her again.

"Why are you here?" A quiet voice asked from behind the door. Will sighed deeply; she couldn't even look at him anymore. "Gina's told me not to see you…"

"WHAT?!" Will exploded; anger that he didn't know could penetrate him exploding out of every pore in his body. Behind the door, Emma flinched at the sudden noise. "Emz… I need to speak to you. I swear I'm not trying to mess with you…" He said, calming down a little. It wasn't Emma's fault that their superior was turning her against him. Will heard the hinges squealing as Emma slowly tugged the door open. Will jumped up and pulled her into a hug. "I'm so, so sorry babe…"

"Get off me!" Emma said forcefully, pushing Will away from her, hurt draining her eyes. "You said we needed to talk… you've got two minutes." Will was taken aback by Emma's sudden cold approach on things. He could almost put money on Gina trying to warp her mind further than she already had.

"Can we go into the lounge?" Will asked softly. Emma shrugged; leading him through into the room he had spent so many drunken evenings with her, Sally, Lewis and Beth. Times had been good then- but now… everything was so complicated. Everyone knew the full extent of all their problems.

_I'm holding on your rope  
Got me ten feet off the ground  
And I'm hearing what you say  
But I just can't make a sound  
You tell me that you need me  
Then you go and cut me down  
But wait..._

Emma sat down on the sofa, and indicated for Will to do the same. He eyed the glass coffee table, he had been so used to seeing it littered with wine bottles and beer bottles, he was almost startled when he saw several leaflets and booklets with a reference to eating disorders on the front cover.

"Well?" Emma asked bitterly, moving the various leaflets and stuffing them under the cushion. Will shook his head, taking hold of Emma's hands as they lay back down onto her lap.

"You don't need to hide anything from me Emma… I really want to help you…" Will said earnestly. Emma looked away from Will, she knew he meant well, but also knew if she accepted help from Will then she would lose the support of Gina.

"Gina's coming around in a bit. You better hurry up." Was all Emma could say right now, looking around a split second after she had spoke, she saw the hurt in Will's eyes.

"Aimee… I know you don't believe me honey, but I promise, if I were playing some sort of sick joke on you, I wouldn't take it this far. Aimee didn't make it out of surgery… there was nothing surgeon could do." Will said, the words he spoke breaking his heart more than he knew possible. Emma didn't say anything, but looked around, before standing up and picking up a photo that stood towards the back of her shelf. Sitting back down onto the sofa, she held the frame close to her body, tears rolling down her face like rain falling out of the sky. "I'm so sorry I had to tell you… your dad's at St Hugh's now if you want me to take you there." Will offered. Emma looked up at him, the vulnerability showing in her body language; her body language showing that she'd lost one half of herself.

"You shouldn't be offering to do that. I don't know why I didn't believe you earlier. If I had done, then I could have been there for Aims…" Emma cried, the words falling effortlessly out of her mouth. "I'm so, so sorry Will."

_You tell me that you're sorry  
Didn't think I'd turn around and say…_

"The damage is done Emma. I'm doing this because I know it's what Aimee would have wanted." Will said, his defence mechanism kicking into play. Emma may be ill, she may be a little messed up, and she may be a little confused but that was no excuse for pushing Will away when she needed him the most. Will had already made his way to the door; leaving Emma sat staring into the fireplace. "Are you coming?"

_That it's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late_

Emma pulled her trainers from the pile of shoes next to the door, and grabbed her coat from the hanger. After closing the door, she ran out to Will's car and sat down in the passenger seat. The drive to the hospital wasn't comfortable. Both Emma and Will sat in silence, the occasional sob from Emma shattering it. Until Emma spoke, the words flying around in her head unable to contain themselves.

"I can't believe it. She wasn't supposed to end up like this…" Emma sighed; closing her hand around her wrist and watching her knuckles turn a pinkish white. "I told her she had to get help. I said that we could go together. I didn't want her to end up like Kristi. _I _didn't want to end up like Kristi. But it's too late now. 'Coz even though she's not committed suicide, she's dead anyway…" Will sighed. He had heard Aimee talk about Kristi a lot. He had even gone to a memorial service with her a few months ago to mark the first anniversary of her death. "What happens if Leigh-Anna and Michelle don't get help? What if they end up go through what Aimee's gone through. What's it going to take for them to realize they don't have to live like this? They don't have to listen to that fucking agent of theirs. He's poisoning their minds… slowly letting them kill themselves. It's just not right! He couldn't take a gun to their heads without the law getting' involved, but he can convince them they are fat and that they need to stop eating. He's sick!" Will nodded, beginning to feel relieved that Emma had seen sense before she had been intoxicated with some old man's twisted views on life.

_I'd take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you  
And I need you like a heart needs a beat  
(But that's nothing new)  
Yeah, yeah_

"Dad!" Emma cried, as she pushed open some swinging doors that stood in the way of her and the person she hadn't regarded as anything more than a Detective Chief Inspector for the last couple years. She swung her arms around his neck, enjoying the comforting feeling that rushed through her body as Frank wrapped his arms around her. "I wish I'd told you… if I had you could have gone around last night… then if you'd have gone around last night she might still be here. You could have persuaded her to get help!"

"Hey… it's not your fault Emma. Aimee was old enough to make her own decisions in life. If she didn't want to help herself she wouldn't of accepted help from anyone else. She's to much like you and your mother." Emma smiled into her father's shoulder.

"Yeah… but I still feel responsible. Partly…" Emma sighed, falling back onto the blue chair next to Will. "I can't believe it… I was talking to her last night – we were talking. She seemed fine…" Will placed his arm around Emma's shoulders, pulling her into him; however unlike recent days, she didn't pull away, she wrapped her arms around him, sobbing lightly into his chest. Both men looked at each other, and then at Emma, raising their eyebrows.

"You know what this… this…" Frank paused. "Anorexia…" He whispered hoarsely looking up at Emma and he knelt in front of her. "Does to people now Em – I'm begging you… please, please try and get better. I can't lose you as well." Emma turned away from Will, not removing her hands. She looked startled.

"I'll try… I've got some leaflets at home." She said proudly. "I will get better. Gina and Will are going to help me."

"So am I baby… so am I." Frank smiled, tears coming to his eyes as he pulled Emma into a hug, her tears leaving patches on his shirt, and his tears leaving marks on her over sized t-shirt. Emma realized how recently, she had been focusing on the bad times in her child hood – she never really thought her dad had cared about her. But today, she had been proved wrong. Maybe he felt guilty or maybe this compassion had been there all along in other forms. "I love you Emma… I know I was a pig when you were growing up; but you mean everything to me. You always have. When you didn't return any of my calls, didn't send cards or letters after you moved out… it hurt like you wouldn't believe. But I deserved it. I totally deserved it…"

_I loved you with a fire red, now it's turning blue  
And you say  
Sorry like the Angel Heaven let me think was you,  
But I'm afraid_

"You didn't – I mean you can't have done to a bad job. I mean – it's not all bad is it?" Emma smiled, pulling away, wiping the tears off her cheeks. Will rolled his eyes as she looked at him. Whoever said beauty was only skin deep obviously hadn't met Emma. "So… what happened with Aimee? That's why we are here ain't it…"

"She had a heart attack like Will told you. Only she didn't recover from it. They surgeon tried and everything was going well for the first hour or so, then… then she had to be resuscitated. That all went well… and then… then the blood clotted up in one of her arteries – the surgeon tried… fifteen minutes. But – well… it wasn't enough…" Emma broke down into tears again, shaking her head and stamping her feet against the floor trying to release some of the anger inside her.

"Someone needs to do something about her fu… I mean… someone needs to do something about her agent…" Emma said, shaking as she fell into Will's embrace. She looked at her dad, he had always been hot on language when she was growing up, but now, he didn't seem to bothered – either that or he hadn't heard her. "Someone needs to get the other girls out before they get hurt…" Will nodded, gently stroking Emma's hair, pulling it off her face and pushing it behind her ears.

"We'll help them Emz, honey. Just you wait and see, we'll make them see sense and get help." Will promised. "But first, we need to get you help – yes?" Emma nodded. Suddenly a clattering of doors drew the trio's attention behind them. They all span around to see several porters wheeling a bed through the doors, Emma stood up, stopping the trolley being moved anywhere else. Although a black sheet was placed over the bed, Emma knew who was under there. Emma knew that this was her chance.

"I'm sorry… so sorry Aims – I know I gave you hell as a kid… maybe you can forgive me now? Maybe you can help me when I'm facing the darkest moments of my life – when I'm looking onto the impossible and all that. I wish you were here though. There's nothing like having a sister to talk to. I learnt that last night…" Emma said shakily, holding onto the metal railings for support. "I'm sorry I never gave you a chance… you're a great person. Lot's of people saw that in you…"

_  
It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late  
_

_  
It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah yeah  
I said it's too late to apologize, a yeah_

Emma stood back, smiling grimly at the porters who wheeled the bed around a corner, crashing into several doors as they went. She fell back against her dad, sobbing harder than ever before. Somehow, seeing just the outline of a body made everything seem so much more real, so much scarier – like stepping out into the unknown.

"I guess tomorrow, we better start planning the funeral…" Frank said, holding onto to Emma for dear life, not wanting to let her slip from his grip again. "I'd like it if you could both help… I know Aimee would have liked that." Emma nodded, as did Will, although he didn't look to sure.

"It's the least I can do." Emma sighed sadly, looking up at the clock above the door. The second hand was ticking back and forth hanging over the 12 and the two black hands lay to rest so that the clock read 3.36 – however it wasn't 3.36 at all. Everyone knew that. 3.36 – that time would come back to haunt Emma time and time again. She knew that – so did everyone else…_  
_

I'm holding your rope  
Got me ten feet off the ground...

* * *

**There you go girls! It's the second to last chapter, so reviews are greatly appriciated as ever! More reviews mean quicker updates of course so if you want to know exactly what happens next then you better hit the little blue button:D **

**Thanks so much for reading up to this point - it's been hard writing and probably not the best to read because it's a little hard hitting at times. **

**Emily xXx**


	11. Only What She Deserved

**_This is dedicated to Hollie (SO943), as1999, Emma (-x-Suferbabe-x-), Dannii (Towards-Tomorrow), Laura (SaMaNdPhIl4EvEr), Leanne and of course Pippa (xpippax) for reviewing so many times throughout the whole fic. I would be totally grateful forever if you can review just one last time for me - I will love you all forever :D _**

**_Just one last thing before I stop boring you all with my ramblings - thanks Pippa for giving me the inspiration I needed when I was a bit stuck - luv you babe! _**

* * *

"Hi." Emma smiled invitingly to a young blonde girl so recognised vaguely from her childhood. The girl smiled back nervously, brushing a few strands of long hair behind her ear as she stepped through the large oak doors; her heels clicking against the dark wood floor. "Thanks for coming…"

"It's the least I can. Aims did no end of things for me at school." The girl replied. "I can't believe how long it is since I've seen you. We used to bump into each other all the time!"

"I know…" Emma nodded, desperately wracking her brains trying to think who this girl was. "I guess you can blame work for that – I seem to spend more time in me uniform than out at the minute!" The girl laughed, her face lighting up. "It's just a shame we had to meet under these circumstances I guess…" The blonde nodded, her face turning sincere once again.

"You musta put so much time into this…" She gushed, suddenly, as her and Emma made their way over to a circular table, topped with a silky white cloth lying over it. Emma nodded, for the first time that evening, really appreciating the walls draped in white curtains and bordered with rich plum roses and lilies.

"It's Ruth isn't it?" Emma asked suddenly, picking up a long stemmed champagne glass and running her finger along the little droplets of condensation that shone like diamonds in the low light. The girl, Ruth, smiled and nodded, gratefully taking the glass Emma passed to her. Ruth sipped from the glass, looking around thoughtfully at the many men and women reminiscing around the room.

"I almost couldn't believe it yano…" Ruth stated. Emma looked at her blankly. "When I got the letter… it just seemed so unreal. I've never felt so numb. She was so young… and always so bubbly. It didn't make sense. The Aimee I knew way a million miles from the one you wrote about…" Emma looked at the floor, blinking back the tears that seemed to rise in her eyes as surely as the sun rose each morning when Aimee was spoke of. "I didn't know it was possible for someone to change so much in a space of five years or…" Ruth paused, seeing tears slowly edging down Emma's face, and following her soft skin line down her neck, stopping at the diamond pendant that hung from her collarbone. "Oh… bloody hell. I'm so sorry. I really ought to think before I open my mouth…" Ruth apologized, placing her hand on Emma's shoulder.

"I… err… excuse me a second – sorry." Emma stuttered, suddenly dashing from the elegant function room as fast as her heels would let her. Pushing the door open to the ladies toilets, Emma sunk against the, smoothing down her tight knee length dress along the side of her stomach, as she saw her shattered appearance in the mirror opposite. However the 'creases' wouldn't budge and Emma finally realized that the material was as flat as her figure would allow and that her body had become so disfigured from months of abuse that her ribs were now protruding from her otherwise very flat stomach. Emma tore her gaze away from the mirror as she heard a soft tapping against the door. The door opened slowly, and Emma hastily wiped the tears from her cheeks seeing Will was standing there.

"There's no one in here is there?" He asked quietly, Emma shook her head, and ran over to Will falling into his embrace. Will wrapped his arms around Emma, gently running his hands up and down her back, trying to soothe the soft sobs that she breathed every few seconds.

"I can't believe she's gone. It's not right…" Emma sobbed, holding on to Will's neck for support as she felt her knees go weak and wobbly. "Seeing everyone here today… makes it all seem so final. I've kept telling myself that she'd come back. That she'd walk through the doors of Sun Hill like nothing ever happened…"

"Hey… she's gone babe… I wish she hadn't – but nothing any of us do can change that. It's way to late… way, way too late." Will sighed, shaking his head, leaning his forehead against Emma's.

"But it's not fair. She never did anything bad. She still had her whole life in front of her…" Emma moaned. "I mean… well there are some murderers – rapists and terrorists who get taken to hospital, for whatever reason – but they come out alive. They should be the ones who suffer. Aims wasn't no angel… I know that. But she never did anyone any real harm… not really."

"Your right… she was one in a million that girl – I can't think of one person like her…" Will paused. "… Actually… I can. Just one though. But that girl seems to have drowned in the murky waters Aimee got herself tangled up in too." Emma pulled away from Will's embrace and looked up at him quizzically. "You of course you Wally!" Emma smiled shakily.

"I was no match for Aimee…" Emma murmured. Silence descended upon the pair for a few seconds as they both lapsed into deep thought about what had happened in the last week or so, suddenly both being brought out of the daydream by the hinges on the door squealing, announcing someone had entered.

"I better… err… I'll see you back in the function room." Will blushed awkwardly, looking between Emma and Aimee's mother, and Emma herself.

"What were you two doing in here?" Val asked, sticking her nose in the air. Emma shook her head and frowned.

"Nothing! I was upset – that's all. All the memories…" Emma replied honestly.

"Oh – so she does have a heart!" Val exclaimed, throwing her left hand to her forehead and holding onto one of the sinks. Emma scowled and made for the door, walking half way out before she turned on her heel so she was facing her mother again.

"I'd have thought you could have put the old times behind you for today. But it appears you can't – not even for the sake of the girl you treasure the most above everyone else." Emma sighed bitterly, before walking off shaking her head. She certainly wasn't going to let her mother get the better of her as she had done so many times as a child.

Emma reached the Shakespeare room, and stood outside the doors for a few seconds, composing herself, before she walked into the blurred mass of black, white and the occasional splatter of deep red. Emma smiled as she saw her dad approach her, followed behind by a very worried looking Will. "What's happened?" Emma asked apprehensively. Frank frowned.

"Nothing… nothing. You could have told me where you were going Em. I thought you were going to…" Emma shot her hand over mouth and quickly made her way to the front of the room, where a small stage lay. Standing on the stage, Emma called for silence, which eventually came. Emma cleared her throat, and looked at the room at large.

"You probably all know that Aimee and I didn't see eye to eye at the best of times. You probably all got to know about the row we had about two and a half years as well. And that since then and until a few weeks ago, we had not said a thing to each other. I had forged a life with out any of my family; the closest person I had to a mother being my Inspector at work." Emma looked at Gina and smiled nervously. "Going back two weeks ago, Aimee managed to get herself tangled up in the Sun Hill area, and was assaulted by another young girl. Not knowing who needed a statement taking, I offered to go and do it – and then met Aimee. To be honest, when I first realized it was her who needed my help, I treated her worse than I would a suspect, much worse. And trust me – I feel awful for doing that. Because I felt so bad I accepted her offer of meeting up for drink later that evening to try and build bridges." Emma paused wondered exactly where she was going with her speech. "When I got to her apartment later that evening, I knocked on Aimee's door, I expected to hear blaring music and loads of laughter. I hardly expected to be the only person there. But none of that met my ears. I wondered at first if I'd got the address wrong 'coz all I could hear were sobs. Awful, deep sobs. No one answered, but I could see a little blonde lump on the sofa, so I kept trying until the little blonde lump answered the door. I'd assumed Aimee's life was perfect. I thought she'd be living in America, steady boyfriend, and loads of cash. How wrong could I be? Aims and her boyfriend had split up earlier on that day – because he was worried about me. He didn't know I was her sister – I didn't know that my best friend from the station was dating my sister either." Emma scanned the audience for Will, who was looking on with tears shining his cheeks. "The thing that really got me is that her ex-boyfriend was worried about me, for the reason Aimee had the heart attack. He had worked out I was plagued with the same illness Aimee had been tortured by for several years. The same illness, that just a few days ago, won rule over her body, slowly killing her from the inside out." Several sniffs filled the room, many people reaching into their pockets for tissues. "On the Thursday night I went to Aimee's, I told her get help, but no. She already had enough help, in the form of Leigh-Anna and Michelle. I know that they are both here tonight, and I beg them to get help. I couldn't bear knowing that their parents and brothers or sisters have to go through what my family and me have gone through in the last week. I know it's hard admitting to having a problem; and I know you'll both find it harder than I did, because you've been poisoned. You aren't fat; you don't need to lose just a little bit more weight because you were gorgeous just how you were before you started modelling. You were perfect, until you met the scum that employs you, the scum that makes you prostitute your bodies in tacky lads magazines. You're all better than that – it's just a shame that Phillip James got to you before Chanel or Versace approached you with million pound modelling deals. Then you really would have been living the highlife that I'd envisaged you to be living." Emma finished with such passion, she had brought tears to her own eyes, making the room swim before her. "I hope you rot in hell Phillip for what you've done to these girls. Your not allowed to murder people, but in affect that's what you have done to Aims, Kristy and countless other girls." Emma stepped off the podium, shaking her head in disgrace. She made her way over to where Will, Gina and her parents were standing, all clapping along with everyone else in the room.

"You did her proud darlin'." Will sighed admirably, as Emma fell into his embrace once more that evening. Emma felt several other hands rest on her back and she looked around, startled to see both her mother and father looking on at her, the proudest expression painted firmly onto their faces.

"She has one hell 'uva sister in you." Frank stated. The music slowly started to fill the room once more, however this time people began to file out of the room, thanking Emma, Frank and Val as they left.

Several hours later, Emma flopped down on the stage she had spoken on earlier, holding her head in her hands as it spun, a million mixed up thoughts and feelings pouring in. She couldn't believe that the final chapter of her sisters life and been and gone – she couldn't believe that in just under three days, she and her family had managed to pull together and throw the best wake anyone could have hoped for.

"I'm so proud of you Emma. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter." Val said suddenly, making Emma jump as she pulled her daughter into the first hug since many, many years ago. Emma didn't think she could cry anymore in one day, however, she had been proved oh so wrong once again. Tears floated down her cheeks like snow from the sky on a crisp winter day.

"It's only what Aimee deserved." Emma replied quietly.

* * *

**_Thanks for reading lovely people! Hope you enjoyed it _**

**_Luv Emz xXx_**


End file.
